INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) | SA MANUFACTURING ONLINE

“We must rebuild now!” How Manufacturers and Engineering Companies Are Using Tech to Recover

Nov 16, 2021 samanufacturing

The world’s economy hinges on the manufacturing and engineering sectors. According to Accenture, these industries account for more than $3 trillion in revenues, a staggering 25 percent of the manufacturing GDP (21.2 percent of GDP in US manufacturing, 25.4 percent in Europe and 32.9 percent for Japan) and up to 30 percent of all manufacturing employees across the globe. However, COVID-19 has left its mark on manufacturing and industrial engineering sectors, as it has with almost all economies of the world. With major disruptions in sales, manufacturing, and supply…

Securing smart devices in OT environments

Sep 21, 2021 samanufacturing

By Joe Robertson, Director of Information Securiy and EMEA CISO at Fortinet The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is all about connecting people, processes, and assets. Traditionally, devices in OT environments have been isolated or connected directly to an industrial control system. IIoT gives these devices a link to the internet. Now that these devices have been “brought to life,” users can interact with them in real time, draw data from them, and analyse that data via statistical or predictive analysis. The value from that intelligence is priceless…

Beyond Responsible AI: 8 Steps to Auditable Artificial Intelligence

Sep 21, 2021 samanufacturing

Auditable AI provides the documentation and records necessary to pass a regulatory review With novel artificial intelligence (AI) applications multiplying like rabbits these days, it may seem like the current wave of AI innovation is all beer and skittles. Lawsuits have a way of sobering up any metaphorical party and, in the wake of numerous high-profile racial bias and fairness cases, The Wall Street Journal reports that companies including Google, Twitter and Salesforce say they “plan to bulk up ethics teams responsible for evaluating the behavior of algorithms.” That’s a positive step in…

The Lingering Effects of Covid-19 on Business and How to Survive and Thrive in 2022

Sep 7, 2021 samanufacturing

By Anton Oosthuizen It has been nearly two years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the world’s economy is ready for some good news. According to the World Bank a rebound is possible, but is likely to be uneven across countries. With the US and China both expected to be major contributors to global growth this year, China’s economy – which, unlike the rest of the world, did not contract in 2020 – is predicted to grow a solid 8.5%. However, the outlook for low income…

Samsung Launches Door-to-Door Repair Service in South Africa

Jun 3, 2021 samanufacturing

Worldwide electronics conglomerate Samsung has launched a “door to door” repair service in South Africa as part of an effort to facilitate the repairs of their customers’ smartphones (and other devices) and “provide another option to visiting a customer care centre”. Samsung refers to the service as “seamless” and it applies to anyone within 40kms of a customer care centre. This new service is another innovation in the world of convenient tech, a welcome prospect to anyone working from home struggling to find time to take their devices in to…

Artificial intelligence in manufacturing

Nov 12, 2020Nov 12, 2020 samanufacturing

By Florian Güldner, vice president, ARC Advisory Group. Depending on your perspective, your thoughts on artificial intelligence (AI) probably fall somewhere between the technology being an abstract threat or possibility, and a real-world solution with concrete use cases where you may not even know the technology is at work. This article summarises the case studies presented at the AI workshop at ARC’s recent virtual European Industry Forum and shows potential usage of AI in machinery applications within today’s smart factories. One of our key findings is…

Gijima acquires T-Systems South Africa following successful turnaround strategy

Oct 30, 2020 samanufacturing

IT solutions provider Gijima has acquired the business of T-Systems South Africa (TSSA) for an undisclosed fee. TSSA, owned by T-Systems International, the IT services arm of German-based Deutsche Telekom, is a provider of ICT networks, applications and systems to South African companies. “This transaction is the result of T-Systems International’s strategic review of its global portfolio and its decision to refocus on its core markets in Europe and the Americas,” a statement from Gijima said. “The transaction will enable Gijima to have access to international IP, expertise and best…

Expert Eye: The Transformative Effect of Cloud Computing on Manufacturing

Sep 29, 2020 samanufacturing

Cloud computing is a powerful technology enabling companies to become more productive, improving both customer communication and supply-chain performance Written by: JP van Loggerenberg, Chief Technology Officer, SYSPRO Today, manufacturing is being transformed rapidly by changes in ICT, AI, robotics fields, cyber-physical systems (CPS), and increasingly powerful IoT devices. The integration of these new technologies has meant that data usage has grown exponentially; however, current legacy systems are often limited in providing agility, flexibility and scalability. As such, a cloud strategy is seen as a logical next step due to its…